Effects of Photoperiod and Maturity Genes on Plant Growth, Partitioning, Radiation Use Efficiency, and Yield in Soyabean [Glycine max(L.) Merrill] 'Clark'

Plants of four isolines of soyabean [Glycine max(L.) Merrill]‘Clark’, viz‘L71-920’ (maturity genecomplemente₁e₂e₃ ), ‘L80-5914’ (E₁e₂e₃), ‘Clark’(e₁E₂E₃), and ‘L65-3366’ (E₁E₂E₃), were grown inshort (12.25 h d ^{- 1}natural light) and long days (12.25 h d^{- 1}natural light supplemented with 2.75 h d ^{- 1}low-irradianceartificial light) from first flowering to maturity in a polythenetunnel maintained at 30/24°C (day/night). Whereas therewere few differences among the isolines grown in short days,in long days the dominant alleles increased crop duration, biomassand seed yield substantially. Increases in biological and economicyield were not solely a consequence of longer crop duration:the dominant alleles also increased crop growth rate and radiationuse efficiency in long days (from 1.3 g MJ ^{- 1}total radiationine₁e₂e₃ to 2.8 g MJ ^{- 1}inE₁E₂E₃ ). Greater radiation use efficiencyresulted from a relatively longer leaf area duration, betterdistribution and orientation of a larger mass of leaves withinthe canopy, and smaller partitioning of assimilates to reproductivestructures. The work reveals the substantial effects of thethree lociE₁ / e₁, E₂/ e₂and E₃/e₃ on the response of plantgrowth, as well as development, to environment. Their relevanceto crop adaptation is discussed. Copyright 2000 Annals of BotanyCompany Glycine max(L.) Merrill, soyabean, maturity genes, flowering, phenology, growth, yield     

A Putative Calcium-Permeable Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channel, CNGC18, Regulates Polarized Pollen Tube Growth

A tip-focused Ca^2＋ gradient is tightly coupled to polarized pollen tube growth, and tip-localized influxes of extracellular Ca^2＋ are required for this process. However the molecular identity and regulation of the potential Ca^2＋ channels remains elusive. The present study has implicated CNGC18 （cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 18） in polarized pollen tube growth, because its overexpression induced wider and shorter pollen tubes. Moreover, CNGC18 overexpression induced depolarization of pollen tube growth was suppressed by lower extracellular calcium （[Ca^2＋]ex）. CNGC18-yellow fluorescence protein （YFP） was preferentially localized to the apparent post-Golgi vesicles and the plasma membrane （PM） in the apex of pollen tubes. The PM localization was affected by tip-localized ROP1 signaling. Expression of wild type ROP1 or an active form of ROP1 enhanced CNGC18-YFP localization to the apical region of the PM, whereas expression of RopGAP1 （a ROP1 deactivator） blocked the PM localization. These results support a role for PM-Iocalized CNGC18 in the regulation of polarized pollen tube growth through its potential function in the modulation of calcium influxes.     

MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION ON THE LARVA OF NEOPSYLLA SPECIALIS SPECIALIS*

Abstract This paper deals in detail with the morphology of the larva of Neopsylla specialis specialis Jordan, 1932. It may be distinguished from other larvae of 5 species or subspecies of Neopsylla by two fine setae lying on outside of each posterior long seta on the ventral plates of the first to third thoracic segments, ratio of the length and width of the egg burster, number and shape of mandibular teeth, number and length of the setae in the anterior and posterior row on dorsal side of head, and number of the setae of anal comb and the strut setae. The sense organs on the 10th tergite are discussed.     

Using diffusion distances for flexible molecular shape comparison

Background  

Many molecules are flexible and undergo significant shape deformation as part of their function, and yet most existing molecular shape comparison (MSC) methods treat them as rigid bodies, which may lead to incorrect shape recognition.     

Microbial Symbionts Accelerate Wound Healing via the Neuropeptide Hormone Oxytocin

Wound healing capability is inextricably linked with diverse aspects of physical fitness ranging from recovery after minor injuries and surgery to diabetes and some types of cancer. Impact of the microbiome upon the mammalian wound healing process is poorly understood. We discover that supplementing the gut microbiome with lactic acid microbes in drinking water accelerates the wound-healing process to occur in half the time required for matched control animals. Further, we find that Lactobacillus reuteri enhances wound-healing properties through up-regulation of the neuropeptide hormone oxytocin, a factor integral in social bonding and reproduction, by a vagus nerve-mediated pathway. Bacteria-triggered oxytocin serves to activate host CD4+Foxp3+CD25+ immune T regulatory cells conveying transplantable wound healing capacity to naive Rag2-deficient animals. This study determined oxytocin to be a novel component of a multi-directional gut microbe-brain-immune axis, with wound-healing capability as a previously unrecognized output of this axis. We also provide experimental evidence to support long-standing medical traditions associating diet, social practices, and the immune system with efficient recovery after injury, sustained good health, and longevity.